Family members of the dec eased claimed that Ravindra Bhati, the son state Minister for Home Guards Ved Ram Bhati, had demanded a ransom of Rs 1 crore to “spare the lives” of Shahbuddin and Yousuf, who were killed on Wednesday. The duo, alongwith Suresh, was killed by unidentified men — an alleged fallout of gang wars to share the lucrative transport turf. Yousuf’s father, Mohammad Ali, said: “We have telephone records to show that Ravindra had demanded money and threatened to kill my family. We had approached the police but no action was taken.”

Senior police officers are tight-lipped about the investigation. Copy of the complaints filed by the relatives of the victims show that Yousuf had sent letters to the President and PMO on November 12 last year after the state police failed to take any action.

Complaints had also been made to Noida SSP, IG (Meerut Zone) and to the Director General of Police during September and November.

SP (Rural) A K Vijeta maintained that no request was made by the family. SSP A Sathish Ganesh said on Friday, “Security arrangements for the family had been almost completed before the incident happened. It is unfortunate that they were killed. Nobody will be spared.”

After the transfer of Gyanendra Kumar, SHO, Kasna police station on Thursday, Constable Chhadammi Lal, was suspended on Friday. Family members said that Kumar had spoken to Yousuf over the phone 15 minutes before he was killed.

The Noida police have arrested a guard of the Paradise Transport Company, owned by Yousuf. He was paid to inform the perpetrators the moment Yousuf, Shahabuddin and Suresh moved out of the area, said police.